“Our findings show that female sex hormones are important for the preservation of lung function in middle-aged women,” Kai Triebner, post-doctoral student at the University of Bergen in Norway.

For the study, presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy, the team followed 3,713 women for approximately 20 years from the early 1990s to 2010.

While HRT can help with menopausal symptoms and protects against osteoporosis, it has also been linked with an increase in the risk of breast cancer and heart and blood vessel problems.

“Women with existing health problems, for instance asthma, need to be followed more thoroughly through the menopausal transition and be provided with advice on medications that take the changing hormone levels better into account — ideally with a personalised approach,” Triebner added.